Automobile hood clamp



May 20, 1930. w. TuRNwALD I AUTOMOBILE HOODl CLAMP Filed Dec. 7, 1927fzenor' Waff] Mrz/dam,

Patented May 20, 1930 l UNITED STATES WOLFGANG TURNWALD, oF sYRAoUsE,NEW YORK y AUTOMOBILE noon VGLAM'P Application med December 7, 1927.'serial No; 233,266.

VMy invention relates to automobile hood clamps. The object is toprovide an improved clamp which uses both spring 'force and springreaction for holding down the hood,

and which also locates and holds the sidewiseV position of the hoodwalls independently of its normal support. The device causes tension onthe spring in opposite directions upon the upward movement n of thehood, thus greatly increasing the holding force of the spring. Thisforce is still further increased by properly proportioning the oppositeends of the lower catch with respect to its fulcrum; and the increasedleverage thus secured upon the lower lug or catch facilitates the engagement of the clamp with the upper lug or catch. Automobile hoods usuallyareheld down by means of fourclamps and are supported by the radiatorshell and car body. Lacing is used in most cases to give the hood anelastice or resilient support and to prevent squeaks and rattles.

lVhen driving over rough roads the hood is in constant motion. Due tothe flexibility of the car frame the radiator is displaced with respectto the body with a resultant sliding of the hood on its supports. Alsothe sides of the hood are subject to an up-and down movement. Most ofthe hood clamps, now in use, derive their holding force from a springcontained in the clamp; the reaction force of the spring being used topress the lower ends of the hood against their supports. While threadedwing nuts have been used to engage the clamp, most clamps to-day aremade to hook on, this latter method being more convenient. In order tomake the hooking oper ation easy the spring force which can be used islimited, and in most cases is insufficient to properly hold the hooddown. The pressure exerted against the hood lace, particularly at thelower part of the sides, wears the lace out with the result of a rattlyhood.

In order to overcome somel of the above mentioned difficulties I havedesigned a hood clamp which uses both, spring force and spring reactionforce for holding d own purposes and which at the same time locates thesides of the hood independently of its support. this way wearing 'out ofthev hood lace should lbe eliminated entirely. Holding down the hood,aside fromthe doubledforce,

will further be facilitated dueto 'the .increased deiection of thespring, in case the Vhood should move up slight-ly. As compared with`the customary clamps, the spring in my clamp is deflected twice as muchor more for the same movement of the hood, it therefore is equivalent toa spring twice assti.

My clamp comprisesa double armed lever, one end vof which engages thehood while the other end connects with the hook and kspring assembly. Bychanging the ratio of the dous ble armed lever with respect to itsfulcrum, the holding down force may be increased for a'give'nspringforce.

, Referring to the drawings which illustrate merely by Way of vexample asuitable embodiment Aof my invention i n Fig. 1 isan elevation of myclamp showing adjacent parts in section, the open position. beingshownin brokenlines: j i Y. Y Fig. 2 is a par-t plan part section online2,2ofFig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an `elevation of a modification.

Fig.-.4 is a part plan part section on line 4, lof Fig. 3. Y v Y Similarnumerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The side walls 7 of the hood are provided with the bifurcated hooks orlugs A,8, for engagement with the usual engaging lat-ching memberv 9.This latching member 9Vis associated with the cylinder 10, housing uthespring 11 which is effective between the upper end ofrod 12 and thelower end of the cylinder. The lower .end of rod 12.7.is providedwiththe head 18 which-cooperates with the outer jend 14:V of levermember15, ,whichl is pivoted at 16 to the stationary lug 17. The inner'end 18of leverlfl "is provided with the hook formation 19V for `engaging orlatching a pin or other suitable lelement 20 secured to the lower partof the'hood 7. All as shown 'in Figs. 1 and 2.V

In Figs. 3 and (4 ithe construction is substantially the saine exceptthat the lever 15 is provided with la pin 21 adapted to engage the hook22 secured to the lower part of hood 7.

It will be noted that the extension 14 of the lever 15 is greater thanthe extension 18 from the pivot or fulcrum 16.

In operation; when the handle 23 of element 9 is lifted from theposition shown in broken line-s in F ig. 1, the end 18, having the hook19 or pin 21, immediately engages locks with the pin 20 or hook 22 anddraws down the hood 7, which action is facilitated by the leveragesecured by the position of the fulcrum of said lever 15. rl`his greatlyadds to the ease in engaging or latching the upper element 9 with thebifurcated hook or lug 8.

It will also be noted that any upward movement of the hood, when the twocatches are secured, will tend to pull down on the spring 11, which isalready exerting a spring tension on the element 9. Thus an increasedspring tension is exerted to prevent upward movement of the hood.

It will also be noted that the engagement of the hook and pin means ofthe lower clamp or catch element secures the position of the lowermargin of the hood wall away from and independent of any supportingmeans, thus preventing wear of the lacing and also preventing rattlingof the hood against the usual supporting walls.

What I claim is l. In a device of the character described, thecombination of upper and lower fixed latching elements and cooperatingupper and lower movable latching elements, and means for exerting springtension between said movable latching elements, the parts so arrangedthat the lower cooperating fixed and movable elements will come intolatching engagement prior to the engagement of the upper fixed andmovable latching elements.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination of upper andlower fixed latching formations and cooperating upper and lower movablelatching elements, means for exerting spring tension between saidmovable elements, and means for magnifying the power exerted by thespring upon the latching action of the lower element.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination of upper andlower fixed latching elements and cooperating upper and lower movablelatching elements, the lower movable element adapted to exert adownwardly directed force upon the hood before the engagement of theupper elements, and means for magnifying the said force exerted by saidlower movable element relatively to the initial force applied.

4. In a device of the character described, the combination of upper andlower fixed latching elements, cooperating upper and lower movablelatching elements, the lower IVOLFGANG TURNWALD.

movable element comprising a pivoted lever, I

one end of which is adapted to engage the

